University

Washington State U. contracts with Zipcar

Washington State University (WSU) contracted with Zipcar Inc. to offer a car-sharing program on its main Pullman campus. The transportation option is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to university students, faculty and staff who are licensed drivers age 18 and older.

Under the agreement, WSU students, faculty and staff may purchase a membership in the Zipcar program and then pay a fee each time they reserve and access a car. WSU members pay a $35 annual fee. Rates on campus Zipcar vehicles start at $8 per hour and $66 per day.

Gas, insurance, reserved parking spots, up to 180 miles of driving per day and roadside assistance are included in the hourly and daily rates. Cars can be reserved for as little as an hour or for multiple days.

WSU will offer three Zipcars, two of which will be located on Colorado Street across from Bohler Gym; the other will be on Nevada Street near Waller Hall. Zipcars are self-service and can be reserved and accessed 24 hours a day.

Participating members with smartphones, including iPhones and Android devices, may download the Zipcar mobile applications to make reservations, lock and unlock the vehicles as well as honk the horn to help locate the vehicle. Reservations also can be made over the phone or by using the Zipcar website.

Zipcar has provided similar services at more than 230 universities in North America, including University of Puget Sound, University of Washington and Portland State University.

While transportation costs accounted for the second-largest household budget category behind housing expenses in both 1989 and 2016, transportation expenditures relative to housing costs declined from 61.6% in 1989 to 47.9% last year.